About StatSilk

StatSilk develops software (desktop, web-based and mobile apps) for creating user-friendly interactive maps and visualizations using your own data and meta data. Its first product, StatPlanet, won the World Bank's Apps for Development Competition. It automatically visualizes the entire World Bank public database of over 8000 indicators - and helped to "bring World Bank education data into the modern age". This kick-started the development of a range of visualization products catering to different needs.

Services

StatSilk offers implementation, data integration, customization and training services. We can set up the software for you, integrate your data and meta data, and work with you to customize the software to meet your current and future needs.

Clientele

StatSilk's clientele spans a broad range of industries and companies of all sizes, from small NGOs to some of the world’s largest companies. It empowers organizations to better communicate and disseminate their data, and empowers users of data by providing them with the tools to better explore and analyse the data according to their needs. Originally launched as a non-profit initiative, StatSilk’s business model now balances commercial aspirations with a philosophy that supports open data and data visualization for international development.

Our clients and users include multinational companies such as Accenture, Cisco, Dell, eBay, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Samsung; intergovernmental organizations such as OECD, European Commission, the World Bank and over 20 UN organizations; government agencies in over 30 countries, such as the USA Department of Homeland Security; and many of the world's leading universities such as Cambridge, Harvard, MIT, Oxford, Stanford and Yale.

History

StatSilk is based in Sydney, Australia, and was founded by Frank van Cappelle in 2011. The StatPlanet software has a longer history and has been under development since 2006. From 2008 to 2010 it was established in Paris as a research project at the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) to improve the accessibility of research findings. The software was used to visualize and monitor education quality indicators as part of the SACMEQ inter-governmental research programme. UN agencies, international non-governmental organizations, the World Bank, and universities were amongst the first users of the software.

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Frank is a regularly invited speaker on data visualization at international conferences and workshops. In addition to his visualization work he is an international consultant working in the fields of education and international development, and has worked in this capacity for UNESCO and UNICEF across five continents. He also does pro-bono consultancy work for a number of non-profit organizations and government agencies.

Press

StatSilk's StatPanet software has been featured in the New York Times, the Guardian, Google Magazine Think Quarterly, Australian newspaper The Age, Austrian newspaper Wirtschaftsblatt and Dutch newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad.

Business model

StatSilk employs a unique business model which seeks to promote the use of data visualization by non-profit and government organizations and organizations in low income countries. It also aims to promote the use of visualization for research and educational purposes. The business model is based on the following five pillars:

Visualize open data: Increasingly government institutions and organizations are releasing data free of charge. Through StatSilk’s StatWorld and the first-prize winning StatPlanet World Bank, interactive visualizations of thousands of indicators can be explored and analyzed. Lack of Internet connectivity does not need to be a barrier, as there are desktop and web versions.

Enable anyone to freely and easily produce interactive data visualizations: StatPlanet, StatPlanet Lite and StatTrends are free for any kind of use, both commercial and non-commercial. They can be redistributed and published online without restriction.

Support data visualization for international development: Data visualization can play an important role in international development by facilitating the monitoring and evaluation of key indicators and benchmarks. All StatSilk software, both desktop and web versions, are completely free for use by local non-profit organisations and government institutions in low income countries. StatPlanet versions for many of these countries are available for download. For maps of other countries, please see the free shapefile maps section.

Support data visualization by non-profit entities: The desktop versions of StatPlanet Plus and StatTrends Plus are free for use by non-profit entities, such as government agencies, educational institutions and charities, as well as for personal use. The web versions of StatPlanet Plus and StatTrends Plus have reduced license costs for non-profit entities. See also the license terms.

Support evidence-based decision making: Improvements to StatSilk software are made with evidence-based decision making in mind - building increasingly powerful tools to visually explore and analyze data according to your needs. Paid customizations to the software are included in the next software update so that everyone can benefit. User feedback is welcomed and many suggestions for improvement have been incorporated over the past few years. Customizations which are prioritized are those that are most likely to benefit current and future users.

Feel free to contact us for more information or to request a quote for software customizations.